13 Englishmen whence descended 12 Erles of Glocestre 58 Etymology of Britayne 8 Etymology of Gaulle 56 Euboniae 49 Example of Gods iudgement 69 Exceter 17 F Famyly of Stuarts in Scotland 34 Famyly of Grayes in England 67 Famyly of Fitzalanes 72 Flauia 35 Flemmyngs driuen out of their owne country what place they possessed 57 Flint towne 69 Forest of Deane 74 Franci whence supposed to haue sproÌ„ge 53. France bounded 56 G Gadini 47 Glocester by whom builded 19 Golden numbre confuted reiected 68 Gwynedh 58. whence the kynges therof so called 64 Grancestre 23 Gyldas reprooued 93 Gyldo 42 Gylford 16 Gyllus vsurper 42 H Hamo with his xii knightes 80 Hastinge 93 Hebrides 49 Hengiscus sent agaynst the Scots and Readshankes 12 Henry the seconde vanquished 92 Henry the fourth 59 Henry the seuenth ib. Henry the eight 60 Henry Erle of Lincolne builded a castle 66 Herald last kyng of Danish bloud 25 Hereford where it lieth 74 Herryng takyng 65 HiberneÌ„ses afterward called Scots 44 Hierome Russelle reprooued 28 Hierhauts and Hierhautrye by Welsh men diligently retayned 7 Holt. 70 Hopa 72 How many cities so many kyngdomes in Britayne 32 Huntingtonshire â—4 I Iceni what region they inhabited 23 Idiome or proprietie of the British tongue 3 Iernaei 4 Ilands about Anglysea 64 Ilcestre 18 Irishmen called afterward Scots 44 Irland 49. by whom first endued with Christianitie 63 Iulius the martyr where buried 82 K Kennethus kyng of Scots 38 Kent 14 Kynton 74 Kynge of Englandes eldest sonne Prince of Wales 59 Kynge Arthur 91 Kynge of Powys why swallowed into the earth 69 L Lancashyremen how termed of old 32 Landas where it standeth 80 Landonia 47. of the Readshankes how called 48 Lhanydlos 73 Lasciuiousnes of the Scots 43 Latitude of Wales 57 Legion cities site described 82 Lemster 74 Letters of the Britaynes their ordre forme and pronunciation 1. Leycestershyremen 25 Lyncolnshyremen 24 London by whom builded amplefied the names therof 19. a colony of the Romans 20 Longitude of Wales 56 Lucopibia how termed and where it standeth 30 Ludlaw 74. Lychfyeld 25 M. Meatae 48 Mà ilor deuided 70 Malmsbury 19 Maluernhilles 74 Manchester 32 Mandubratius sent for Caesar into Britayne 19 March a kyngdom of England 27. 32 Authours whose names and woorkes are cited in this Booke Ammianus Annius Antoninus Appianus Aristoteles Athenaeus Aurelius Victor Beatus Rhenanus Beda Boëthius Berosus Caesar. Capgraue Claudianus Crantzius Diodorus Siculus Dion Eliote Eutropius Frossartus Giambularius Gothus Gyldas Gyraldus Haymo Armenius Hieronomus Hierono Russellus Herodianus Huntingtonensis Iuuenalis Lampridius Lazius Lelandus Lucanus Maior Mamertinus Malmsburiensis Marcellinus Marianus Scotus Marius Niger Mela. Meyerus Orosius Panuinius Parisiensis Paulus Diaconus Pausanias Plinius Plutarchus Polybius Polydorus Postellus Ptolomaeus Sextus Rufus Sidonius Apollinaris Spartianus Solinus Suetonius Sigisbertus Tacitus Regino Rhicuallensis Robertus Coenalis Virgilius Virunnius Volateranus Vopiscus Wilhelmus Paruus The Epistle of the aucthour To the most adorned and best deseruynge to be reueren ced of al that loue the knowledge of the Mathematicks Abraham Ortelius of Andwarp DEARLY beloued Ortelius that day wherein I was coÌ„stayned to depart from London I receyued your Description of ASIA ad before I came home to my house I fell into a very perillous Feuer which hath so torne this poore body of mine these x. continuall dayes that I was brought into despayre of my life But my hope Iesus Christe is layde vp in my bosome Howbeit neither the dayly shakynge of the continuall Feuer with a double Tertian neither the lookyng for present death neither the vehement headache without intermission coulde put the remembrance of my Ortelius out of my troubled brayne Wherfore I send vnto you my Wales not beutifully set forth in all poinctes yet truly depeinted so be that certeyn notes be obserued which I gathered euen when I was redy to die You shall also receaue the description of England set forth as well with the auntient names as those which are now vsed and an other England also drawne forth perfectly enough Besides certein fragmentes written with mine owne hande Which notwithstandynge that they be written foorth in a rude hande and seeme to be imperfect yet doubt not they be well grounded by proofes and authorities of auntient writers Which also if God had spared me life you should haue receaued in better order and in all respects perfect Take therfore this last remembrance of thy Humfrey and for euer adieu my deare friend Ortelius From Denbigh in Gwynedh or Northwales the. xxx of August 1568. Yours both liuyng and diyng Humfrey Lhuyd ¶ THE BREVIarie of Britayne c. FOR so much as â–ª in my last letters which I wrote vnto you right learned Sir in the which I promised within few dayes after to send you the Geographicall Description of all Britayne set foorth with the most auncient names as well Latine as Brittysh wherin I must muche disagrée from th' opinions of learned men I thought it expedient first in a fewe wordes to disclose theffect of my purpose to all by what argumentes and aucthoryties of the learned I am mooued partly to change partly to ascribe vnto other otherwise then those which wrote before me haue done the names of CouÌ„treyes Townes Ryuers other places Whiche before I take in hande to do I purpose to entreate a lytle of the knowledge of the Britysh tongue of the signification of the Letters and the maner of pronouncinge the same Wherby the trewe name both of the whole Iland and of many places therin may be manifest The ignorance of whiche tongue hath driuen many notable men to suche shiftes that endeuorynge to winde them selues oute of one they haue fallen into many moe and those more grosser errours The ordre and signification of the letters is this as followeth A. B. D. E. H. L. M. N. O. P. R. S. T. They haue the very same pronounciation in the Britysh tongue whiche they haue in the Latine well pronounced C. and. G. haue the same force and signification beynge placed before all the Uowelles that they haue before A. and O in the Latine tongue CH. expresseth the nature of χ. called chi among the Grecians and hath no affinitie with the pronounciation in Frenche or Englysh of the same aspiration but is sounded in the throte like Cheth in the Hebrew Double DD as it is coÌ„monly written amongst our countrey men or amongst the learned after this maner DH is pronounced lyke the Greeke Delta or lyke the Hebrew Daleth without Dagas We vse F alwayes for V when it is a consonant as Lhanfair is in reading called Lhanuair for V is alwayes a vowell In steede of the latine F wee vse PH or Ff. We make I continually a vowell as the Gréekes do and is pronounced as the Italian I or rather as as the barbarous vnlearned Préestes in tymes past sounded E. We haue also a peculiar Letter to our selues whiche the ruder sort fashion
buildynges it began to be called Caërludd and Lhundain that is to say Luds Citie and also London And I am not ignorant how Polydorus seeketh TrinouantuÌ„ aboute Northampton but the authoritie of sacred antiquitie is of more force with me then any bare coniecture of a straunge and vnknowen person Wee yelde these names to London although Ptolomaeus lay theÌ„ nerer to the Thames the negligence of the Transcribers hath called LondoÌ„ a Citie of Kent And Marius Niger afterward the other parte of the great bosome for the other side the TrinouaÌ„tes doo holde into the middle wherof the Riuer Thames doth flow Polydorus Virgilius the Vrbinate goeth aboute to proue out of Tacitus by arguments of litle force that the Trinobantes are Inlande people when as his reasons seeme to próoue the contrary For where as he sayeth if the Trinobantes had bin nigh London Suetonius should haue had no salfe passage thither Nay rather Polydorus if it had bin in the midst of the Ilande it had byn harder for him to haue come to London through the thickest of his enemies for his way lay through them from the Isle of Anglesey from whence he cam Wherefore it is more likely that the Trinobantes were inhabitants of Essex as all sauynge a few obscure and vnknowen writers doo affirme Who suppose that with the Iceni their neigh bours whiche now be the people of Norfolke and Nordouolke they had conspired the death of the Romans and had spoyled with â—â—er sword al that euer was in their way vnto VerolanuÌ„ sâ—ayinge threescore and ten thousande Romans and were returned backe againe salfe and sounde before Suetonius coÌ„mynge as Tacitus aâ—oucheth And that theyr rage extended not vnto London the cause was as the same author reporteth for that London was a Colony of the Romanes and a greate mart citie of theirs famous for plentie of trauaylers which resorted thither for traâ—aque of Marchaundize aboundynge with vitayle and stoutly defensed with munition and garysons against all aduentures as all men doo know Hereby it appeareth how weak Polydorus argumentes be especially who so well knoweth that part of England and that London was the Citie Trinouantum whiche was afterward called Augusta as Marcellinus reporteth With these reasons beyng sufficiently instructed I say that the Trinobantes inhabited that parte of Britayne which after the cummynge of Saxons made vp theyr fourth kingdome which they called Eastsaxons and another called Midlesaxons whose principall citie is London at this day which somtime was vnder the kynges of the Mercij or march Ptolomaeus mentioneth a nother besides this citie TrinouantuÌ„ called Camudolanum whiche I take to be all one with Camalodunum as I iudge by readyng Roman histories although Ptolomaeus speaketh of CamalodunuÌ„ for it stoode not farre from the Thames and was by Claudius appoynted the first Colony of the Romanes and not neare the Brigantes as Polydorus much lesse in Scotlande as Boethius dreameth And for the more playnesse hereof I thinke it good to brynge forth the words of Dion who had bin somtime Consul Claudius after that he had receiued the message forthwith coÌ„mitted the matters appertaynyng to the citie and the Souldieurs to Vitellius his college whose consulship as also his owne he had proroged for sixe monthes longer him self departed from Rome to Ostia where he tooke shippe and arryued at Massilia and takyng the residew of his iorney partly by lande and partly by water came too the Oceane and passed ouer into Britayne and came to his armie which lay by the Thames looking for him Whom when he had receaued in charge he wente ouer the Water with certeine Barbarians whiche drew to him at his commynge â—e spred his Banners fought and obtayned the victorie and wanne CamalodunuÌ„ the regall seate of Cynobellinus and tooke many prisoners partly by force partly by yelding Hereby it appeareth euiuidently that Camalodunum standeth not far from the Thames in which place Ptolomaeus placeth CamudolanuÌ„ And I suppose that this was the Colony of Claudius Cesar famous for the churche which they cal now Colchestre the olde name beyng made as I thinke by ioynyng the water and the Churche together a coÌ„mon custome amonge the Britaynes as Henlhan that is an olde Churche Lhanelwy a Churche standyng vpon the riuer Elguen or the Church Elguen which the Englishmen and Bishops now a dayes call but not well the See of S. Asaphe Besides an infinite numbre moe wherby I am perswaded that those places which in Latin beginne or ende in these terminations Lan or Lam were of olde so termed of Churches in the British toÌ„gue Moreouer out of this place of Dion it is gathered how much a man without shame that Polydorus virgillius is who doubteth not to affirme that Claudius Caesar vanquished the Britayns without any battaile most imputently calleth them dastards whom Caesar himself Tacitus Dion Herodian terme by these names most warlike cruell bloudthirstie impatient bothe of Bondage iniuries But an infamous beggage groome ful fraught with enuie hatred what dareth he not do or say I omit his Scholemayster Boethius who besides these lies speaketh of a mightie warre whiche Claudius made vpon the people of the Orchades affirmyng the same to be true too too impudently For thou mayst easely iudge good reader how muche Lande and Sea the Roman Emperour with a greate armie coulde marche ouer in xvi dayes only duryng whiche time he abode in Britayne when Tacitus also a most faithfull writer affirmeth that in the first yeres of Agricola the Iland of Britayne was knowne and the Isles called Orchades were then vnknowne but first founde out and subdued by him This Dion testefieth to be true in the life of Titus the Emperour neither speaketh Suetonius against it where he sayeth that Claudius taried in Britayne but a very few dayes Howbeit Eutropius and after him Orosius seeme to thynke otherwyse not knowinge exactly how farre distant the Orchades be from Kent But since reason and truth certaynly perswade vs to the contrarie let vs sticke vnto them as vnto twoo moste faithfull guides neglectynge the iudgement of Polydorus with his Hector Next to the Trinouantes were the Iceni whom I suppose to haue inhabited that region whiche maketh the fift kyngedome of Germans whiche is the East Englismen and their citie Venta whiche now of the Englishmen is called Northweâ— And I am priuy also that there are thought to be other Iceni in the West but I thinke it more probable that these Iceni are put for Tigeni of whom I will speake hereafter And the kyngdome of East EnglishmeÌ„ comprehended not only the Iceni but also Cambridgshyre whose cheife citie in olde time the Britaynes called Caërgrawnt the Englishmen Grantcester of the water that passeth bie but now corruptlye is commonly called Cambridge and is a noble Uniuersity wherin florisheth all good learnyng Not farre of is the Isle of VVyllowes not of Eeles as some haue wroten For Helig
water either into the Sea as Aberconwy Abertiui Abertawy that is to say the mouth of Conway Tibius and Tobius or into some great Riuer as Aber hodni Abergeuenni to say the fall of Hodnus and Geuenus into Osca Moreouer wee call mouthes and entrances of Riuers Aber without addynge any thynge more thereto as in Carnaruanshyre between Conouium and Banchorium in the same maner so that I thinke Aber to signifie as much as Aestus doth whiche is the rage fall or force of Water as is most agreeable with Ptolomaeus Aboue these were the Damnij whose cheife Citie Antoninus maketh Vandagora to be not far from the valley Ofdam wherby I coniecture that they be those whiche wee call now VVestmerlandshyremen The Selgouij and Otadeni in times past inhabited Cumberland At the verie brimme of the Uallie standeth a most auncient citie Ptolomeus calleth it Lucopibia Antoninus Luguballia the Britaynes and Englishmen terme it Caerloyl and it standeth in the Frontirs of the Nouantes Not farre from this Citie as Malmsburiensis reporteth there was a Stone founde with this inscription In token of Marius victorie whiche token of triumph I suppose to haue bin erected by Meurigus whom some of the Romans haue termed more aptly Aruiragus othersome Marius in token that the Readshankes were there vanquished Rodericus beyng theyr kynge whiche at that season as the Saxons did exercised Pyracie in our Seas vntill at length one parte of them setled in Albania and other in Fraūce And it is wel knowne that these countries together with Gallouidia so farre as the Riuer Cluda vnto the yere of our Lorde 870 were in the Britaynes possession at what time beyng by the Scottes Danes and Englishmen disquieted with many batayles and in the ende their kynge Constantinus slayne at Lochmaba in Anādra they were enforced to returne into VVales to their countrymen and dryuing away the English Saxons forcibly chalenged to them selues the greater parte of the country which lieth twixt Conway and the water of Dee whiche they possessed and there appoynted a kyngdome whiche of the riuer Cluda on whose shoare they dwelt is of our countrymen called Struteluyd of Marianus Scotus corruptly Streadiylead of the VVallanes They had many conflictes agaynst the kynges of England as the same author reporteth vntill at length their last kynge dying at Rome they submitted themselues to the princes of Gwynedh This Marianus the chiefest Hystoriographer of his time one of late hath caused to set foorth in Printe being imperfect and lackynge the better parte of set purpose as him selfe confesseth because of the ambiguitie of the British Hystorie In like maner Sleydan while he turneth his abbridgement of Frossard into Latine beyng too too muche partiall to the Frenchemen either ouerpasseth with silence the most noble valiant deedes of the Englishmen or variynge from his author reporteth them otherwyse then Frossard hath written Wherefore me seemeth that the sayinge of Martial the Poet verye well agreeth with them That which now thou doest turne O Fidentine the booke is mine But when thou turnest him ill then he begins for to be thine But this much by the way The laste of the Northumberlandshyremen and almost of all Lhoëgr follow the inhabitantes of Lancashyre to be intreated of whom the Ryuer called of the Englishmen Merssee deuideth from the Kyngedome of March of whom the kyngdome of March in Englande was so called It is soone prooued out of Ptolomaeus that these were called Ordouici in olde time For the Ordouici saieth he lie more Southwest then the Brigantes doo Since therefore that Yorkeshyre is the kyngedome of Brigantes in vayne with Boethius wee seeke them in Scotland and muche more in Northfolke with Polydorus Wherefore renouncing these fables for my part I am perswaded that the ORDOVICI are not only the Lancas hyremen but also the Deuani or Ches hyremen and Shrops hyremen beyng recompted of Tacitus for a greate Citie In this place I call a Citie as Caesar doeth an whole conuent or kyngedome For looke how many Cities there are so many kyngedomes in olde time were in Britayne whiche seuerally wagyng batayle agaynst the Romans were all the sooner ouercummen Amongst the Cities of these kingdomes Ptolomaeus reciteth Mediolanū called now Lancastre Mancunium as appeareth out of Antoninus is called Māchestre Their kynge in times past was Cataracus whose fame was knowne aboue the Skies who the space of nine continuall yeres very muche molested the Romans with Warre at length was taken by treason of a Woman and led to Rome in triumphe And Claudius the Emperour deserued no lesse prayse for vanquishynge Cataracus then did Scipio for Syphax or Lucius Paulus for Perses as Tacitus writeth two moste puissant kynges brought home in shew to the people of Rome And here can I not maruel enough what came in minde to that Boëthius not the Troiane but the Scotte for Ahlas what one was he how farre from that same Hector sore He chaunged was that in Achilles spoyles came home before Impudently to affirme that he was a Scot seeyng that there was no suche nation at that time in the worlde But if there were it was so enfolded in darkenesse that it was vnknowne to the Romans and Britaynes or as Haymo Armenius writeth of a certayn nation it had so bleared the eyes of all peoples and countries that the Scots were inuisibly conuersant between the Romans and Britaynes Polydorus also writeth that he was kynge of the Ordulacae when neither Tacitus nor Ptolomaeus mentioneth the same but of the Ordouici And Tacitus reporteth that he was not onely gouernour of the Ordouici but also of the Siluri Which Siluri dwelled not in Scotland but in Southwales as in another place it shal be prooued more playnly And I remember very well that a few yeres agoe when I was in the frontirs of Shrops hyre with others about certain businesse of my Lordes the right honoble Erle of Arundell where some parte of his inheritance lieth I chaunced to fall into the view of a place exceedingly well fortefied both by nature art The situation whereof was vpon the toppe of an high hill enuironed with a triple ditche of greate depth There were iij. gates not directly but a shoshe the one agaynst the other and on three sides steepe headlonge places and compassed with twoo Riuers on the lifte hande with Colun or Clun on the right with Themis which our countrymen call Teuidia and accessible but on the one side therof These thinges when I beheld I vnderstoode by the inhabitants that this place was called Caër Caradoc that is to say the citie Caradoc and that there haue bin many fierce battayles fought there agaynst a certaine kyng called Caradoc who at last was vanquished and taken of his enemies For our coūtrymen ca◠not only walled Cities townes but also al maner places which are entrenched and walled by the name Caër as I wil proue afterward by
weapons and require benediction with a stoupyng head In the same Region is a place in whiche they say vnder Deuus feete whom in Lantine they call Dauid whyle he inueyhed agaynst the Pelagians the earth bellowed and rose vp in an hill whiche they terme Lhandewybreuy In the other part of the RegioÌ„ is the principall Towne of the Shyre vpon the riuer Teify which wee terme Aberteifi to say the mouth of Teifus the Englishmen call it Cardigan This Riuer only of al Britayne as Gyraldus reporteth abouÌ„deth with Otters but now our countrimeÌ„ know not what they ar The bare name which is Auanc they take for a Monstre of the water Passyng foorth alonge by the same Sea coaste there commeth vnto our view a Region of auncient time termed of our countrymen Dyfed of Ptolomaeus Demetia for Dynetia in English VVestwales and now Penbrokeshyre The same reacheth from Sea to Sea the farther Promontorie wherof Ptolomaeus calleth Octopitarum a litle declinyng from the worde Pebidion By the Northern Ocean a longe lie Trefdraeth Aberguain Cilgaren within the mayne lande in the west Angle is the Bishops See of Meneue sometime famous with an Archbishops see For Deui who is called Dauid translated the Archbishopprick from the Citie of Legions where it was of antiquitie into Meneue Afterwhome there sate there fiue tweÌ„tie Archbishops whose names are founde in Gyraldus The last wherof called Samson in the time of a greuous Plague of Pestilence then reignyng fled into Armorica or the lesse Britayne with his palle where beyng chosen Bishop of Dole he lefte there his Palle whiche his successours haue enioyed vnto this daye before whom the Archbyshop of Turo hath preuayled But ours by occasion of the Saxon warre and their owne pouertie lost their auncient dignitie notwithstaÌ„dyng al Bishops of VVales were consecrated by the Bishop of Meneue and he of them as his Suffraganes vntill the dayes of Henry the first when as Bernhard was consecrated by the Archbyshop of Cantorbury and vsed him selfe longe time after as Archbyshop vntill in the ende his action fell at Rome This much Gyraldus Neither was there any Bishop of Meneue before Morgenew whiche was the. xxxiii from Dauid that tasted any fleash And he the very same night when he first tasted fleash was slayne by Pyrates This Church hath been very often spoyled and destroyd by English and Danish Pyrates Here in the valley Rosea was borne the greate Patricke who endued Ireland with the Christian faith Hauerfordia whiche they call now West Hereford is distaÌ„t from this See xxi myles in olde time called of the Britaynes Aberdaugleddaw that is to say the mouth of two swords For so the cheifest Ryuers of all Britayne which make any hauen are termed Englishmen call the same Milford and some Alaunicum by the Latin name The VVelshmen call this Towne now Hulphordh and the Hauen reserueth his antique name Upon the same crooke or bosome standeth Benbrock head of the shyre the worke of Arnulph Montgomer whiche Girarde of VVyndelesour valiantly defended agaynst Rhesus sonne to Theodore And after that peace was established as Gyraldus reporteth he tooke to wife Nessa the daughter of Thesus on whom he begat worthy issue bothe Male and Female by whom both the Sea coast of VVales remayned vnto the Englishmen and the force of Ireland was afterward vanquished At the South Sea lieth Tenbigh as Englishmen terme it but welshmen Dinbegh Ypyscot that is to wit fisshyng Denbygh so called for difference twixt it and the other which is in Gwynedh This same part of Demetia or Dynetia is at this day possessed and inhabited by Flemmynges sent thither by Henry the first â–ª The people beyng stout and rough defended them selues and theirs valiently agaynst the VVelshmen â–ª And although many times especially by Cadwalader Conanus and Howell sonnes of Owaen Prince of Gwynedh and Rhesus sonne to Gryffeth of Northwales and lastly by Leweline the greate as Parisiensis termeth him who had in his armie thirtie thousande men they were almost destroyed and sleyne yet haue they alwayes recouered their strength agayne and vnto this day are knowen from VVelshmen by diuersitie of their manners and tongue The thyrde Prouince of Southwales Maridinia taketh name of Maridunum a very auncient Citie whereof both Latin and Greeke writers make mention By which name it was so called and knowne longe before the birth of that very well learned man whom the Englishmen corruptly call Merlin but our countrymen Merdhin Neither did the Citie take name of him but he of that whereas he was borne Wee call the same Caer frydâ—in by reason of proprietie of the tongue whereby wee change M into V the consonant for whom our countrymen do vse F in the Castle Citie of Merdhyn That same Ambrose who was borne of a noble Uirgin whose fathers name is of purpose suppressed for his passyng skill in the Mathematicals and wonderful knowledge in al other kinde of learnyng was by the rude common people reputed to be the sonne of an incubus or a Male Diuell whiche in similitude and likenesse of men do vse carnally to companie with women This Towne as Gyraldus writeth was in olde time compassed rounde with a fayre brickewall And vpon the riuer Clarus whiche Ptolomaeus termeth Tobius wee Towi is sayde that the kynges seat and Palace of Southwales was builded vntill that it was taken by the Englishmen After what time it was remooued vnto Dynefur vpon the same Riuer a place very well fortefied with woodes and hilles In this Region by reason of the stronge situation of places the princes of Southwales made welnigh their continuall abode Which was deuided from Ceretica by the Riuer Tifey by whose side standeth the noble Castle of Emlyn On the other sides it is enuironed with very high hilles and with the Sea. Towards the Sea is Catguilia now Cydweili a country sometime possessed by Mauritius of London Next whom lieth Gwhir which ioyneth vnto Morgania with a Towne at the mouthe of Tawai of vs Abertawai of EnglishmeÌ„ called Swansei Morgania of Englishmen GlamorgaÌ„ of vs called Morganwc and Gwladforgan that is to say the country of Morgan of one Morgan which was there slayne by his Auntes sonne Cuneda who was king of Lhoëgr more then twoo thousand yeres since so called It lieth on the Seuern Sea and was alwaies wont to be rebellious agaynst his Prince Wherfore when it refused to obey his true and lawfull Prince by the iust iudgement of God which alwayes reuengeth Rebellion and Treason it was enforced to come in seruitude vnto straungers For aboute the yere of our Lorde one thousand fourescore and ten when Iestinus sonne to Gurgantus Erle of Morgania refused to obey Rhesus sonne to Theodore Prince of Southwales and sent Aeneas sonne to Cediuorus sometime Lorde of Demetia into England to take muster of Souldiers and there receaued a great army vnder the conduct of one Robert sonne
by Twyne that thee doth sende To Brute his broode a labour sure that well deserueth prayse Go shew thy selfe to Britanists whose glory thou dost rayse FINIS ¶ Lodowick Lhuyd in prayse of the Author GO on be boulde thou litle booke sounde foorth thy aucthours fame Aduaunce the trauell tried of him that christened first thy name Thy state exilde thy age vnknown thy line that longe was lost Is now returnd and known againe in auncient Britaynes cost From Scythia shore from Phrigia feilds where longe thy selfe haue laine From raging Rockes and crased cragges thou art come home againe Thy patron graunde and auncient Sire Aeneas Troiane stoute Did neuer toile on land and SeaS as thou hast rangde aboute From Mountaines high wherto thy selfe alone wast wont to talke Lhuid taught thy steps to treade in Court with Princes wise to walke If then Solinus merit fame that Caesars stirpe haue pende The same ought Lhuyd of right to claime that Brutus line defende If Curtius be aduauncde on high Alexanders fame to feede Then well ought Lhuyd commended be to honour Hectors seede What praise had Liui then in Rome or Herodot in Greece That prayse ought neuer Humfry Lhuyd in natiue soyle to leese Who being aliue could Argos make with sugred talke t 〈…〉 e And now being dead 〈…〉 t Argos make with hundred eies to weepe Who though his corps is clothd in clay â–ª in mouldred dust to lie In spight of Parcas yet his fame doth skale the empire skie And though that age out liueth youth yet death doth age exile Though fame suruiueth death againe yet time doth fame defile So youth to age and age to death and death to fame in fyeld And fame to time and time to GOD this Lhuyd knew well to yeeld Sith then he founde Misenus trumpe to sounde againe the fame That once was wonne and then was lost extoll each one his name And gyue him then his due desert enroll his noble minde That first haue taught his countrimen their countrie state to finde Finis Laurence Twyne to his brother Tho. Twyne in prayse of his Translation AL that which learned Lhuyd of late in Latine did endite Of Britaynes race their auncient state their guise and countries rite Loe now in English tongue by true report and cunnings skill Twyne hath set forth th' unlearned sort their pleasure to fulfill Wherin who list to looke with heede straight Britaynes state shall know And wherwithall this noble land in auncient time did flow Lhuyds paynes was much in latine stile which wrote the same before But Brother sure in my conceit thou thanks deseruest more Of Britaynes and of British soyle which makst them vnderstand A thinge more meete me thinks for them then for a forren land Wherin as thou by toyle hast wonne the spurres and prayses got So reape deserued thanks of those for whom thou brakst the knot FINIS Iohn Twyne to the Readers of his brothers translation AS they of all most prayse deserue that first with Pen did show To vs the sacred lawes of God wherby his will wee know So many thanks are due to those that beate their busie brayne To let vs learne our earthly state in whiche wee here remayne Amongst the rest that euer wroate none hath of vs deserude Like prayse to Lhuyd who lo his foylâ— hath here to vs preferd Wherin thou mayst the whole estate of this our natiue land What so is worthy to be knowne by readyng vnderstand And cause the aucthour wroate the same in tongue enstrangd to some Twyne hath it taught the English phrase in which it earst was dumbe Accept it well and when thou readst if ought therby thou gayne For recompence yeld thy good will to him that tooke the payne Finis A Table contayning the principall matters entreated of in this booke largely digested into the Alphabeticall ordre as followeth AEstiones Fo. 52 Albania whence so called 49 described 47. Albion why so termed 4 Anglysey in Wales 57 Animositie of Britaynes 62. their auntient maners 61 Arfon 64 Aron martir where buried 82 Attacotti inhabitours of Albania of Scottish originall 45 Augustine the Monke 13. his intollerable arrogancie 71 B Bardi 7 Bath how of olde time termed 18 Bedfordshyremen 24 Benbroche 78 Bernhard of Newmercate 83 Bernicia 28 Boadicia or Bunduica a valiant queâ—â— 85. 89 Bodotua 48 Boëthius reproued 21. 24. 33. 38. 49. 81. Bogwelth or Buellt 83 Brecknock 83. by what Englishman first subdued ibidem Brennus whose sonne and brother 53 why he slew himselfe 54. what language his Souldiers vsed 54. his Court or Palace 72. was a perfect Britayne 53 Brenni where they dwelt 55 Brigantes were neuer in Scotland 30. their Cities names 29 Britayne why so named 8. how deuided ibid. the Etimology therof 8 Britayne the lesse or the Second 35 Britayne the first seconde thyrde and fourth 35 Britaynes how they celebrate Easter 67. their Ualiencie 69 British names corrupted by the RomaÌ„s 5 Britons nigh Fraunce 10 Brustius crueltie 83. his miserable death ibidem Bristow 18 Buckynghamshiremen 24 C Cadeuenna 73 Caesar what he termeth a Citie 32 Caerbro castle in the Wyght 17 Caer Andred by whom ouerthrown 15 Caerlile 47 Calice 14 Cambria why so called 49 Cambra 53 Cambridge 23 Camalodunum 21 Camudolanum ibidem Cangorum where it standeth 66 Cantimanduas treason 34 Cantorbury why so called 15. metropolitane of England and Wales ibid. Caradoc described 33 Cardigan 75 Castle of Clun 34 Castle of Douer 14 castle of Emlyn 79 castle of Lion. 70 Cataracus where he â—aught with Ostorius 34 Catguilia 79 Ceretica described 75. 79 Chepstow 81 Chester 27 Chichester 16 Cicester 19 Citie of Legions 82 Cities of Brigantes 29 Clun castle 24 CoÌ„mendation of the Bathes at Bath 18 Conouia by whom builded 65 Cornish Welshmen one nation 18 Cornwall 17 Crneltie of Brustius 83 Cumberland by whom in olde time in habited 30 Cymbri 15 D Danes came in 13 Danica Sylua 74 Dannij 30 Dauid how termed in British 77. traÌ„slated the Archbishopricke to Meneue ib. Death of Brennus 54 Death of Brustius 83 Deheubarth 74. why worse then Gwynedh 75 Deera in old time called BrigaÌ„tia 30. 28 Demetia 77 Denbigh 66. described ibidem Deuani 26. how called of old by the Rom. ibi Description of Albania 47 Description of Cambria 49 Description of Caradoc citie 35 Description of Ceretica 75. 79. Description of Denbygh 66. Description of Tegenia or Igenia 68 Description of Wales 62 Diuision of Britayne 9 Diuision of England 12 Diuision of Wales 62 Diuision of Venodotia 64 Diuisions are dangerous 93 Dorchester 24 Doruentani why so called 27 Douer 14 Douer castle by whom builded 14 Druydes 42 Dunetus Abbot 71 Dunwallon forsaketh his kyngdom 68 Diuerse kynges possessâ— diuers partes of Wales 63 E Edward the first entred Wales 58 Edenburgh by whom builded 48 Egbert first Monarch of Lohëgr 19 Eluyl 74 Elbodius archbishop of Northwales 67 Emlyn castle 79 England deuided 12. by whom first so called
deuidyng it into many kingdomes namely Kent the South Saxons the VVestsaxons the Eastsaxons East Englishmen the kingdome of March whom Lazius a man very well learned and well deseruing of posteritie in vayne seeketh for in Germany supposing the hystorie of Bede to be written of the inhabitantes of Germany and not of England and Northumberland which was also deuided into twayne Bernicia and Deira Whose kynges beynge Paganes destroyed with fier and sworde all Churches Monasteries and Libraries And after that they had receaued Christianitie by Augustine the Monke they fought many battels both among them selues and against the Britaynes Untill that aboute the yeare of our Lorde 620. Egbert kynge of the westsaxons beynge made Monarch of all began to rule alone and first of al commaunded that the countrie should be called England and the people Englishmen Englishmen were a very famous people of Germany wherof the Captaynes and cheif of Saxony as Crantzius reporteth were longe time called Captaynes of Anglaria And there remayneth yet as I haue read a Castle where they sometime abode termed now Engern in the frontires of Westphalia between Osnabrugh and Heruordia Wherby it cometh that our countrymen retayning the first name doo call all Englishmen Saison and theyr tongue Saissonaëg and know not what this words England or an Englishman meaneth Shortly after the Danes ouer came the Englishmen possessed this Lande vntill the yere of the incarnate word 1066 VVilliam bastarde of Normandy with his Normans vanquishynge bothe Englishmen and Danes vsurped the coūtry From which stocke almost the whole nobility of this Realme vnto this day doo fetche their descent But let vs returne to Lhoëgr whiche in times past was enuironed with the British Oceane the riuers of Seuerne Dee and Humber but now since the Realme of England stretchefoorth beyonde Humber to Twede wée wil also stretche foorth the name of Lhoëgr so farre And although the Englishmen doo possesse beyonde Seuern Hereford shyre the Forest of Deane and many other places yet wee holde that they dwell in VVales not in Lhëogr and are taken almost euery where of all other Englishmen for Welshmen But the riuer Dee is accompted at this day one of the auncient bonds sauing that in certein places both the people the welsh tongue haue incroched more into England These thinges beynge thus presupposed let vs now discend to the particulared escription of Lhoëgr or England In which the countrie called Cantium of the Romanes of our countrimē Caint of Englishmen Kent commeth first vnto our view From whēce there is but a narow cut ouer into Fraunce to the hauen Gessoriacus which is now termed Bollen as S. Rhenanus gathereth out of the auncient Chart of warly descriptions And not only Marcellinus amongst the old writers speaketh of the sea towne of Bollen in the life of Iulian the Emperour but also in his Panegiricus called Constantinus the sonne of Constantius these are founde Constātinus the father being made Emperour at his first cumming with an innumerable fleet of enemies pend out the fierce Oceane enuironed tharmy which lay vpon the shoare of the towne Bollen c. Coenalis affirmeth the hauen Gessoriacus is Caslete of Flāders which towne standyng vpon the top of an high hill xiiij miles from the Sea sufficiently declareth the authors vnskilfulnesse And I take Iccius to be the same hauē whiche now they terme Caletum for Calitium Calice But I cannot agree with those whiche make Selusas of Flaunders to be Iccius beyng vnlike that the Romanes woulde haue vsed so longe a course by Sea when they might haue passed ouer sooner more commediously from that place There were in Kent in olde time three famous Portes well knowne to the Romanes Doris Rhutupis and Lemanis Doris vndoubtedly is the same whiche both Englishmen and Britaynes reseruinge the auncient name at this daye doo call Douer For wee call Water Dour or Duúr And I am not ignorant that the Douarians stoutly defende that theyr towne heretofore was called Rutupium and that Aruiragus kyng of Britaynes builded there a noble Castle Yet I had rather giue credite to Antoninus who speaketh of bothe And I suppose that to be Rutupium which of the Englishmen is called Repcestre nigh Sandwiche not farre from the yle of Thanat For that I lande wee call Ynys Rhuochym as much to say Rutupina wherof the shoare deserued to be termed Rutupinum and the Porte Rutupis Lemanis or as some call it Linienus is that Riuer which is now called amongst the Englishmen Rotler and floweth into the Oceane sea nigh Apuldore Moreouer besides these famous Portes are Rye and VVynchelsea two townes farther within the mayne lande Durobreuis and Durouernum the same Englishmen do call Cantorbury that is to say the court of the Kentyshmen and with vs Caërgant and is cheife Metropolitant Sea of al Englande and VVales The tother is termed Rofcester But Antoninus placeth Vagniacū between London and Dorouernum between that and Durouernum Durolernum but what names they haue at this day I am not altogether ignorant Howbeit it is manifest that these townes tooke their names of Water whiche is Duur in British and Duriuerne amongst vs playnly signifieth water which floweth out of a place where Alders growe Wherby I am perswaded that the same towne in times past therof obtained his name But before I depart forth of Kent I must breifly touche that great Wod wherof both British and English writers haue spoken The Britaynes call it Coëd Andred but the Englishmen Andedreswald And Huntington affyrmeth that it conteineth in length one hundreth and twentie miles and in bredth thirtie miles and that the worthy citie called Caër Andred and Andredecester stoode therin which Dalla kyng of the Southsaxons vtterly ouerthrew so that there remayneth no token nor rubbish therof The Kentishmen and Southsaxons to this day doo call a place where Wodde hath byn VValden not knowyng for all that whence the woorde is deriued When others but falsely call it VVelden others VVylden For the English Saxons cal a Wodde VValden as the Germans doo now terme a playne without trees VVolden as in these woordes Cottiswolden and Porke wolden it appeareth Next vnto the Kentishmen on the Southside of the Thames are those whiche in times past were the seconde kyngdome of Southsaxsons and were termed Southsaxon but is now deuided into twoo shyres Southsex and Southtrey And I am of beleife that Neomaguin was their Citie where Gylford now standeth Chichester the cheefest Citie of Southsaxons was called Caërceri in British After these come the Atrabates whiche now are called the people of Barkshyre whose principall Citie in olde time was called Caleua but now VValyngford Wherein I cannot consent to those which cal Oxford Caleua standing on the North shoare of the Thames There is also a village named Cilcester not far from Basinge which before time was called Caërsegent and Segontium of
the Romans Antoninus also mentioneth PontiuÌ„ which appeareth now to be called Reading Thantique name of Spinae which signifieth Thornes continueth to this day in the one side of Neubery which is as much to say as New courte From whence a good way of vpon the riuer Cunetio standeth a famous Citie called Cunetio by the Romanes but now Marlborow Betweene these and the Sea lye the Simeni whose Metropolitane or cheif Citie is Venta which in fore times was a Citie of greate renowne and of the Britaynes called Caërwynt of the Englishmen VVynchester And at the Sea there is the great port called now Portesmouth at whose mouth there standeth a Citie called of olde Caërperis but now Portchester Also Tris Antonis an haueÌ„ now South hampton retaynyng the olde name Ouer against these lieth the I le of VVyght celebrated by the auncient Romane wryters and first subdued by Vespasian The same is in length xx miles and. x. in bredth in forme like to an egge in some places seuen miles distant from the mayne shoare and in others but twayne It hath very rough and craggie Cliffes it is very plentifull of Corne. The cheifest and only market towne of all the Iland is Newport There is also a Castle called Caërbro that is to say the tract for Nettes expressynge the Britysh antiquitie The VVestsaxons when they had driuen away the Britaynes added the same to their dominion vntill Cadwalla a Britayn hauing slaine Aruald recouered it to him self Englishmen call it the VVyght Britaynes terme it Gwydh whiche in our tongue signifieth perspicuous or easy to be seene as Gwydhgruc that is to say a perspicuous heape Gwydhfa a perspicuous place by which terme the most highest Mountayne of all Britayne in Carnaruanshyre is called The inhabitants of this Iland are wont to glory that their country is destitute of three greate discommodities that are founde in other countries to wit Foxes beggynge Fryers and Lawiers They are vnder the precincte and dioces of Southampton By the same Sea shoare alonge follow the Seueriani called now the inhabitantes of VVylshyre whose cheef citie is Caërseuerus called also Caër Câ—radoc and now by Englishmen Sarysbury Twixt these is S. Ambrose hyll celebrated by reason of the slaughter of the Nobilitie of Britayne there committed Also Shaftes bury knowne of olde to the Britaynes by the name of Caërbaladin and Caërsepton At the Westside of thâ—se lie the Durotriges called of vs Durugueir of the Englishmen Dorsetshyre men From whence more westerly are the Damnonij wée cal them at this day Dyfynnaint whiche signifieth deepe narow valleys not of the Danes as some affyrme These are called in English DeuonshyremeÌ„ and they lye betweene two Seas the Seuern and the British Oceane Their principall Citie is Isca called also AVGVSTA before time Caërwisk of the water passynge bie but now of the Englishmen Excestre Howbeit I know well enough that some affyrme that before it was called by the olde Britaynes Penuchelgoëd Last of all cometh Cornauia of the inhabitantes and our countrymen called Cernico of Englishmen Cornwal Here it is to be noted that the Saxons did thrâ—st the Reliques of the auncient Britaynes into those streightes Who because they vsed the Britysh tongue whiche the Saxons vnderstoode not they termed them Cornwalas that is to say WelshmeÌ„ of Cornauia or Cornwall as they called also our countrymen Welsh Britaynes after the German guyse This is the true Etimologie or cause of the name and farewel to them whiche pleasinge them selues in the inuention of the name doo call it Cornu Galliae to saye an horne of Fraunce wherein Polydorus as in other thynges also vttereth his ignorance As for mine opinion very auncient bookes doo confirme it written in the saxon tongue and the name also wherby those whiche inhabite the countrie do vsually cal it They speake the British language al their wordes almost are founde like vnto ours but that they differ sumdeale in construction of speache The promontorie of Cornauia now Cornwall is famous amongst our countrymen coÌ„monly called Penrhyngwaed that is to say the promontory of bloud whiche I suppose to be called of Ptolomaeus Antiuestaeum Beyonde the Damnonij or Deuonshire men nigh the course of Seuern lieth sometime the region of Murotriges wee call it Guladyr haf Englishmen Somersetshyre where are many notable auncient places séene as the Mounts of Caërmalet otherwise called Camalet There standeth also Iscalis now Ilcester and the Isle of Auolonia whose Citie is Venta now Brystow but in antique time the Britaynes called it Caër oder yn Nant Badon that is to say the Citie Odera in the vally of Badon Another towne of the Belgae with Ptolomaeus Aquae Calidae that is of hot water with Antoninus Aquae Solis of water of the Sunne the Britaines cal it Caërbadon the Englishmen Bathe and is very renowmed for holsom Bathes of hot waters Of whiche thynge I am a most certayne witnesse For when as by the stroke of an horse whiche I had caught at Myllayne in Italy I was greuously pained with the Sciatica continually the space of one whole yeare and hauing assayde the helpe of many excellently learned Phisitions was nothynge the better I vsed these Bathes but only sixe dayes and was restored to my former health Between these and the Thames head were the Dobuni now Claudiani whose cheefe towne in old time was called CoriniuÌ„ of the Britaynes Caër Cory the English men now terme it Cycestre And Claudia commonly called Glocester a famous Citie standyng vpon Seuern the head of all the shyre I suppose not to haue bin knowne to the Romanes but was afterward as Gyldas reporteth builded by Glouy a Britayne who after that the Romanes were driuen thence reygned there and not so named by Claudius Caesar as hereafter shal be shewen In the same shyre also standeth Malmesbury called before time Caërbladhon These shyres doo make the thyrde Kyngedome of Saxons in Britayne whiche they call VVestsaxons whose kynge was Egbert who hauinge subdued all the other first of the Germans obtayned the Monarchie of Lhoëgr Thus hauynge described the countries that lie on the Southside of the Thames let vs now come to the other in ordre And first ouer agaynst Kent on the other side of the Thames lie the Trinouantes whose prince was Mandubratius or as other write Androgorius our countrymen cal him Audâ—wy the same sent for Caesar intâ— Britayne and when he was come asisted him with his power and followed him into Italy and Thessalie Theyr chief Citie was builded by Brutus and was called Troynewith that is to say New Troy howbeit there be some whiche call it Trenouantum bycause Tre signifieth in British a Towne But afterwarde it was called of Belus whiche dwelt there Dinas Beli that is to say Belinus Palace or Courte Last of all of Lud brother to Caswallane whiche wonderfully adorned it with beutifull
in the British tongue signifieth Wyllow trees wherwith those Fennes doo abounde All these in fore times were called Girui Ioynynge to these are the Parisi whose chief Citie Pettuaria is now begunne to be called Peterborow Beyonde the Mydland Saxons west ward were the Catychlauni now Hertfordshyremen and BuckynghaÌ„shyremen on the Hill whose Cities are Salinae and Verolanum wherof this last tooke name of a riuer VVer for before time it was called in British Guernhan that is to say a Churche standing vpon the Riuer Ver afterward Caër Municip bycause it was a municipin or incorporate Towne belongynge to the Romans Englishmen terme it Verlamcester and VVatlyngchester This Citie was destroyed through the rage of the Saxons how be it there remayne the tokens and foundations of the Walles to this day nere to S. Albans Churche on the other side of the water But where as some doo thinke that the Thames sometime ran that way it is to be laughed at Howbeit it is certayne that there was a greate standing water hard by the Citie walles where now are pleasant flourishyng Medows in whiche as I am informed there was an Anker of a ship founde of late wherby and also by the corrupt copie of Gyldas that coniecture is risen After these come the Oxfordeshyremen on the North side of the Thames whose Citie is called by Englishmen Oxenford our countrymen terme it Rhyd ychen that is to say the Ford of Oxen but what name it had in olde time it is altogether vnknowen Yet some affirme that it is Caër Vortigeru that is Vortigers Citie and by him builded wherto I cannot agree For Gyldas writeth that the same Citie was builded in the West parte of the Ilande and I thinke it be in the kyngdome of VVales beynge called now after his name Gurthronion Our freende M. Leland the antiquarie ernestly defendeth that it should be called Ouseford that is to say the Ford of Isis against whom as one hauyng very well deserued of the Britaynes and much exercised in auncient Histories I dare not contend For it is certaine that it standeth vpon Isis and that tracte of time corrupteth the names of many places it is also euident But whatsoeuer name it had at the beginnyng it hath a very bewtiful and helthsome situation and a country which ministreth althynges necessarie abundantly and a most famous schole of al good learnyng as all doo confesse whiche haue seene the other Uniuersities of Europe Not farre from this Citie stoode Caërdor so called of the Romanes a Citie not vnknowne to the Englishmen a Bishops see now called Dorchester whereas the Thames dischargeth him selfe into Isis from whence the name of Tamesis the Thames proceedeth Towardes the North be the Buckynghamshyremen and beneath them the Bedfordshyremen and more northerly the Huntyngtonshiremen whose auncient names are not knowen After these are the Lincolnshyremen of olde Coritani so far as the riuer Trent the Britaynes in old time called it Caërludcoy the Romanes Lindum the Englishmen Lindecolyn and at this day Lincolne Notwithstandyng afterwarde the Normans called it corruptly Nychol as I haue manie times noted in auncient charters and recordes of the Erles therof written in the Frenche tongue and all that Prouince was called Lyndesey Next vnto these at Trent be the Leycestershyremen so called of Leicestre which in olde time were called Caërbier At the South appeare the Northampton shyremen so called of the Riuer Auon whiche cometh alonge by the Towne for AVON in British signifieth a Riuer and the Saxons hearyng the Britaynes so terme Riuers supposed that it had bin the proper names thereof wherby it came to passe that many notable Riuers in England were called by that name After these at the West follow the VVarwickshiremen whose principall Citie Caër Wythelin was founded by Guythelnius a Kynge of Britayne afterwarde of the Roman legions which went no farther CaërlheoÌ„ lastly of a noble Britayne whiche beutified it with many fayre buildynges Caërgwayr and of the Englishmen is called VVarwike Next after these are the Staffordshiremen amongst whom is Lychfeild a Bishops See that is to say the Feild of dead folke For the Northern Englishmen cal death Lych and the vnluckie night Rauens Lychâ—oules Some affirme that here not in Legancestre Etheldrede kynge of Northumberlande most cruelly slew twoo thousande Monkes of the famous Monasterie of Banchor men excellently learned and suche as contrary to the custome of others gat their liuynge with trauayle of their owne handes Whiche blouddie war he would neuer haue begunne had it not bin at the motion of that bloud thyrstie Monke whom they call Augustine The cause was for that in some poynctes they seamed to disagree from the Churche of Rome and refused to be vnder the iurisdiction of the Archebishop of Cantorbury hauyng alreadie of their owne the Archbishop of Legion This was the chearitie and religion of that man to make away such good godly men as coulde not abide his intollerable pride But touchyng these matters godwillynge wee will speake in another place On the otherside of VVarwykeshyre are the VVorcestershyremen next to the Dobani their Citie Vigornia was of olde time called of the Romans BRANGONIA of the Britaynes to this daye Caër Vrangon and of the Englishmen is coÌ„monly called VVorcestre and is builded at the East side of Seuern Where is to be noted that all the greater Cities that lie vpon the East shoare of the Riuers Seuern and d ee were builded to resist the irruptions of the Britaynes into Lhoëgr that is Englande like as the Romans erected many notable Cities on the West shoare of the Rhyne to restraine the forcible inuasions of the Germans into Fraunce Adioyning vnto these are the Shropshyremen whose auncient Citie is Vricouium called afterwarde of the Englishmen VVrekecestre and shorte VVroxcestre all raysed downe to the grounde in the Saxon war from whose reliques foure miles of lieth Salopia the head Citie of all the shyre notable for two Bridges and almost compased with the Seuern The same in olde time was called Pengwern that is to say the head of a place where Alders growe and was the seate of the Kinges of Powyse from whence the English name Schreusbury is deriued although I remembre that in auncient records I read it termed Salopsbury and Slopesbury Our countrymen call it Ymwythig at this day Next after these are the Deuani or Ches hyremen vpon the Riuer Dee where as be certen Wells out of whose liquor very good pure White Salte is sodden Besides the Citie it selfe famous for the Roman monumentes therin which by reason that the Roman LegioÌ„s wintered there is called by the Britaynes at this day Caër LheoÌ„ ar ddourdwy that is to say the Citie of Legions vpon the Riuer Dee for difference sake betwixt that and another of that name vpon the Ryuer Osca It appeareth out of Antoninus that the same in times paste was
called in Latin Deua of the riuer whiche wee terme Dourdowy to say the water of Dee The Englishmen call it Legancestre and afterward clippyng the name shorter called it Chester and the Citizens doo glory that they haue the body of Henry the fourth Emperour whome they affirme to haue yelded vp the Empyre and haue betaken him selfe to an Hermites life And so are they likewise perswaded of Herald who was the last kynge of the Danish bloud More East from these are the Doruentani now Derbishyremen so termed of theyr cheifcitie Dwrguent whiche is as muche to say as white Water All these shyres and conuentes with a great parte of VVales as farre as the renowmed ditche of Kyng Offa of whiche wee will speake hereafter made vp the sixt kingedome of English Saxons in Britayne which of the ryuer Merse was called the kyngedome of Mercij or March. Here now I cannot sufficientlye merueile how VVolfangus Lazius a man excellently learned and very well deserued of all that be studious of antiquitie in his greate worke of the Migration of nations should be so muche deceaued as to say that the Mertij or people of March were Marcomanni and the their kynges Penda Offa with all the rest reigned in the lower Germany Beyng most euident in all hystories that there was neuer any such kyngdome there and that these kynges peoples whom he affirmeth to haue dwelled in Germany inhabited that country of Britayne whiche wée now describe Likewise while he endeuoreth to lynke together the discentes and pedegrees of the Norman bloud of the kynges of England he handleth them so confusely so far besides truth that it seemeth he neuer read either the names or order or deedes of the kinges but it is rather likely that he learned theÌ„ by hearesay of some babling vnlearned foole that had no regarde of his good same or honestie As a nother hath â—oone of late dayes a man famously learned in the Mathematikes in his Geographical chart of this Ilande And besides these Hieromus Ruscellus in his Ptolomaeus lately printed at Venice while he goeth aboute to set foorth new names correspondent to the olde confoundeth places an hundreth miles distant one from another namely Colchester and VVynchester Neither in other places ar his gheasses any thynge more certayne wherefore I exhorte men not to trust him in this behalfe There remayneth the seuenth and last kyngedome of Saxons in Englande whiche they termed Nordan Humbrorum because it standeth at the Northecoast of Humber The same was afterwarde deuided into two kyngedomes of the Deeres and Bernices The kyngedome of Deera contayned all the country from Humbre and Trent to the Riuer Tyssa Bernicia reached from Tyssa to the Scottish Sea whiche they call now Fyrthew the Britaynes terme this same Brennich the other Deifyr The inhabitantes of this region especially south warde are called Snotyngomenses but now most coÌ„monly NotingamshiremeÌ„ Next vnto these are Yorkeshyremen who of the Romans were called Brigantes of whom Tacitus writeth thus Petilius Caerealis fought many batailes wherof some were not vnblouddy agaynst the Citie of the Brigantes which is reported to be the place of resorte to the whole populous prouince and obtayned a greate parte of the Brigantes either by victory or els by fight All these the liyng champion of the Scottysh name Hector Boëthius sticketh not to put into his Gallouidia and to proue the same by argumentes gathered out of Ptolomaeus and Tacitus But how much Ptolomaeus was deceaued trustyng to the report of others in describing the length and bredth of places in Britayne for he writeth that Scotland lieth forth to the East that the farthest Promontorie therof is viij degrees more Easterly then any place of England whiche in this paralelle do make aboute 240 miles whiche is altogether vntrue seyng Englande standeth more to the East then Scotlande â—â—the is as cleare as day light to all those that haue tasted of Cosmography But Ptolomaeus is to be pardoned beyng an Egyptian borne and excellently well learned in Mathematicals who hath done the best he coulde but not foolish and impudent Boëthius borne and brought vp no farther of then ScotlaÌ„d He speaketh thus of Tacitus that he beyng a graue author affyrmeth that the Brigantes were a Spanish broode dwellyng in a farre corner of Britayne farther then any durst auouche that at his time the Britaynes had passed O impudent face where aboute did Tacitus speake thus of the Brigantes He seemeth to deriue the Siluri by a colour from the Spanish broode because they lye ouer agaynst Spayne Gallouida is farther from Spayne then any Region of Englande or VVales And that in Tacitus time the Brigantes were first knowne to the Romans I confesse it but he findeth it not in Tacitus and not mindefull of him selfe as it behoueth a lier to be he calleth not to remembrance that he wrote in another place that Claudius the Emperour adioyned also vnto his Empyre the Orchades whiche lie beyonde Scotland But let vs bid faythlesse Hector a dieu and let vs now also see what the auncient writers haue writen of the Brigantes Ptolomaeus reciteth the Cities of Brigantes Eboracum Epiacum Calatum Bimonium CaturactoniuÌ„ Rhigodunum Isurium Olicana with others All men know that Eboracum is that Citie whiche the Britaynes call Caër Efroc the Englishmen Euerwyke and now shorte Yorke Of the rest wee doo but coniecture as Bimonium to be Bincestre Calatum which Antoninus and Bede cal Calcaria to be Helicastre now Tadcastre Rhigodunum Rippon and Olicana Haligfex And that Isurium is called Aldburg There was neuer any man that dreamed that these Cities were in Scotland But Antoninê° ascribeth theÌ„ to the BrigaÌ„ts placeth them in the way which leadeth to London from the Ually PraetoriuÌ„ for that there was a vally from the riuer Soluathianus to the mouth of Tine al do knowe I conclude therfore that it is impossible that the Brigants were euer in Scotland In so muche that the remembrance of this name remaineth vntill this day amongst vs For when we sée any man not duly obeing lawes coÌ„maundements him wée cal Chwaret Brigans that is to say one that plaieth the Brigant And like as they were rebelles agaynst the people of Rome so doth he contempne the lawes of Magistrates and of Elders And surely I am of beleefe that all Deera before time was called Brigantia Ptolomaeus placeth the Vernicones and Taiazalos betweene the Riuers Tine and Tweede This country alonely now refayneth the name of Northumberland when al the region before time from that riuer to the Scotish Sea was called by that name For there is no riuer in all Britayne that hath the name of Humbre but only the water into whom many notable streames do flow Wherby our freend M. Leland not with out good cause supposed that the same should be called Aber whiche amonge the Britaynes signifieth an arme of the Sea either swiftnesse or fall of any
lately bin busied agaynst Pyrats afterward by the Mithridatick fight was very well practised by Sea and Lande Besides this nation was then but rude and the Britaynes beyng accustomed but only to the Readshankes and Irishmen their enemies as yet but halfe naked soone yelded vnto the Roman armes and ensignes that Caesar almost in all that expedition coulde vaunt him self but of this owne thing that he had sayled vpon the Oceane He affirmeth that the Britaynes only dwel in an Iland and termeth them Hibernenses who afterwarde were called Scots Also another Panegyricus vnto Constantinus the Emperour speaketh of the Readshankes called Pictones as followeth For neither he speakyng of his father Constantius after such and so many notable actes whiche he hath done vouchsaueth to get not only the wooddes and Marises of the Calidones and other Pictones but neither Ireland which lieth nigh neither the farthest Tyle neither yet the fortunate Ilands if there be any suche Thus farre the Panegiricus This he wroate aboute the yere after Christe was borne three hundred twentie at what time it seemeth that the Pictones or Readshankes beganne first to inhabite the farther most partes of Scotland After him Ammianus Marcellinus first of the Latines made mention of the Scots in the yere of our saluation 364. In the tenth Consulship of Constantius and the third of Iulianus when as in Britayne by excursion and breakyng foorth of the Scots Readshankes beyng wilde nations peace beyng broken the places about nigh to the frontirs were spoyled And afterwarde in the life of Valentinian and Valens he sayeth At this time as though alarme were sounded throughout all the Roman dominions the most fierce and sauage nations arose forcibly inuaded their neare neighbours The Alemanni or Almaynes spoiled the countrie of France and Rhetia together Sarmatae the Ponnoniae and the Quadi now Bohemans The Readshankes Saxons Scots and Attacotti much molested the Britaynes And afterwarde At that time the Readshankes beynge deuided into two nations Deucalidonae and Vecturiones also the Attacotti a very warlike nation and the Scots wandrynge vncerteinely about here and there wasted and spoyled very much And as for the coastes of Gallia they were spoyled by Frenchmen and Saxons c. Hereby it appeareth in what darkenesse the Scottish state is drowned For Boethius in no place maketh mention of the Attacotti who appeare by this authour to haue dwelled in Albania and to haue bin of the Scottishe race Wherefore it is most likely that a litle before that time the Scottes and Attacotti who afterward vanished into the name of the Scots foorth of Ireland and from the Hebrides the Readshankes out of the Orchades whereas they lurked before by one consent entred into Albania and there prouoked by warre the Romans and Britaynes that they departed out of the field some time conquerers and sometimes conquered For shortly after Ammianus reporteth that after that these nations were by Theodosius a valiant captain vnder Valentinian vanquished and driuen out of the Roman prouince they were at quiet And this can be no disparedgment but rather a greate glorie to the Scottish nation that rather at that time then before that forcibly agaynst the Romans will they planted them seates in Britayne Whiche is prooued not out of vayne and fabulous writers such as is Boethius and other suche like but out of substantiall authours and such as doo very wel know the state of Britayne After all these Claudianus a Poete singularly learned in diuers places maketh mention of these nation as for example of the Getick warre A power also there came against the farthest Britaynes bent Which bridled hath the Scots so fierce and notes with iron brent Then fayling reads whilst Readshanks bloud and breath is spent And in his Panegyricus to Honorius The nimble Moores hath he and Pictes so termed by name full true â—ubdude and he the Scots with blade at randon did pursue And of the fourth Consulship of Honorius Were wet with Saxons slayne The Orchades and Island eke was hot with Readshanks bayne And frosen Irland eke dead heapes of Scotshmen wept amayne Who did euer set foorth more plainly the natural countrie of both natioÌ„s For he sheweth how Readshanks cam from Thule that is to say Ilandes of the North and the Scots but lately out of Ireland And in another place in his Panegyricus Britayne speaketh vnto Stilico And me she saith with countries neare about who was destroyd Almost defenced well hath Stilico When Irlands soyle on euery syde The Scots doo mooue and seas with noysom sayles doo fome about By whose helpe now it is that Scottish force I doo not doubt Ne doo I dread the Picts c. Hereby it appeareth manifestly that at this time that is to wit the yere of our saluation 410. the Scots possessed no certayne place in Britayne but many times vsed to make irruptions out of Ireland and by litle and litle subdued the North partes of the Ilande and at length hauyng driuen thence the inhabitants established their kingedome there vnder Valentinian the yonger the yere of God incarnate 444. wheÌ„ as now the Romans had lefte of the charge and care of Britayne This much I had breifly to say touchynge the originall of the Scots and Readshankes Now I will addresse my selfe to the description of Albania or Scotland It is seperate from England by the Riuer Twede the hyll Cheuiot and certayne litle Riuers runnynge downe into the chanell Soluathianus The first people whiche come to hand are Gallouidiani of olde time called by the Romans NOVANTES and not Brigantes as wee haue shewed before Ptolomaeus called their citie Leucopibia whiche wee terme now Caërleil standeth in the entrance of both kyngedomes Next vnto these were the Gadini nigh the riuer Glota which some doo better call Cluyda howbeit that name by reason of the proprietie of the tongue is sometime pronounced Gluyda wherby grew that errour of calling it Glot Upon this Riuers side sometime there stoode a noble Citie of the Britaynes called Caër Alchuyd or Archuyd that is to say a Citie standyng vpon Cluyda whiche is now of the Scots called Dounbritton bycause it was restored agayne by the Britaynes aboute the yere of our saluation 800. Aboue these towards the East Sea lieth a region which now is called LaÌ„donia and Mercia March but in times past Breunicia and of the Pictes called also Readshankes Pictlandia The Maeatae are placed here by Dion For sayth he the Maeatae dwel beyonde the wall vnto the Caledonij Ptolomaeus laieth the Vacomagi beyonde Tueda This limityng wall as Spartianus reporteth was first builded by Adrianus the Emperour fourescore myles in length And Capitolinus is author that Antoninus erected another made of Turâ—es between the Britaynes And last of all that Seuerus by a trenche which was cast from Sea to Sea deuided the Roman prouince from the other Britains all men do generally agree Whereby our countrymen
nothyng troubled with hunger nor cold neither wearied with martial affayres neither fallynge into desperation by aduersitie but soone redie to rise vp after a fall and prest by and by agayne to assay the peril of war as in battayle easie so in continuance of warre harde to be ouercome Wherby Claudianus seemeth to speeke of the nature of the same nation saying If that their harts you let a whyle To rest so many slaughters they deuoyd of sence doo seeme To take and of smale price the losse of so much bloud to deeme Thus much he and more whiche shortly god willyng shal be set forth Now let vs come to the description of the lande This lande after the British destruction was deuided into six RegioÌ„s as I read of late in a very auncient booke written of the lawes of the Britaynes For sayth that booke after that the Saxons had vanquished the Britaynes obtayned the Scepter of the Realme and the crowne of London all the people of Wales assembled together at the mouthe of the Riuer Deuey to choose a kynge And yno i Doethant Gwyr Gwynedh à Gwyr Powys à Gwyr Deheubarth à Reynnwc ac Esylluc à Morganuc That is to say and thither came men of Gwynedh and men of Powys and men of Deheubarth and of Reynnucia and of Syllucia and Morgania they chose Maylgun whom others call Maclocunius of Gwynedh to be their kynge This was aboute the yere of our Lorde â—60 Howbeit afterward in the lamentable conflict agaynst Ethelfredus kynge of Northumberland are recited the kings of Dynetia whiche falsly they call Demetia of Guenta of Powysia and of Northwales And in another place â—ention is made of the kinges of Stra 〈…〉 Cluyde So that hereby it is easely 〈…〉 ered that this country was subiect 〈…〉 iuers petikinges or Erles vnto 〈…〉 e of Roderike the great who ob 〈…〉 the Monarchie of al VVales the yere of our Lorde 843. deuidyng it into three partes whiche he left in possession of his three sonnes For vnto Meruinius as Gyraldus termeth him to whom I consent his eldest sonne he gaue Gwynedh to Anaraudus whome some make the eldest Powys to Cadelhus the youngest Deheubarth And that I may vse the woords of Gyldas Southwales was alotted to Cadelhus with the blessyng and goodwil of all the people which they call Deheubarth which is as much to say as the right side Which although in quantity it be farre the biggest notwithstandyng by reason of noble men which in the welsh tongue are called Vchelwyr that is to say high men wherwith it aboundeth whiche were wont to rebell agaynst their Lordes to defie them in armur it séemed to be the worser This diuision whilst their posteritie conteÌ„ded among themselues in Ciuill warre and ech of them alone with the Englishmen in externall at last destroyed the kyngedome of wales The cheefest of these kyngdomes whiche the inhabitantes call Gwynedh Englishmen Northwales the Latine writers corruptly Venodotia had in auncient time these limites On the Weast and North sides it hath VergiuiuÌ„ or the Irish Oceane at the Southwest and by South the Riuer Deuye Wherby it is cut of from Southwales On the South and East sides it is seuered from Powys and England with high Hilles and somtime with waters vnto the force of the Riuer Dee The same also was parted into foure Regions which conteined fiftéene Cantredi which signifieth an hundred villages The principallest of these Regions was the I le of Anglysey of whom wee haue spoken in another place in the same was a kynges Palace the seate of Northwales in Aberfraw whereof the kinges of Gwynedh haue the name of the kinges of Aberfraw For in the lawes of Howel Dha that is to say good Howel of walles both kynge and lawier which I haue seen written both in the British and Latin tongues it was decreed that like as the kynge of Aberfraw ought to pay threescore and thrée poundes for tribute vnto the kynge of London So likewise the kinges of Dinesur an Matrafall were seuerally bounde to pay so much Whereby it appeareth that this kinge was the cheefest prince of al wales About Anglysey be diuers litle Ilands as Ynis Adar that is to say the I le of Byrdes sometime but now it is called Ynis Moylrhoniaid to witte the I le of Whales in English Ysterisd Also Ynis Lygod that is the I le of Myse and the I le Seirial in english Preêstholme The seconde Region of Gwynedh called Arfon as who should say aboue Anglysey the best fortified parte of all VVales For it centeyneth the highest Mountaynes and Rockes of all Britayne which wee terme Yriri the Englishmen Snowdowne because they carie Snow For height and plentie of cattayle scarce inferiour to the Alpes It hath in it many Riuers and standing Waters Beyonde whose farthest promontory called Lhynus lieth an I le whiche Ptolomaeus termeth Lymnos our countrymen Eulhi the EnglishmeÌ„ Bardesey that is to say the I le of the Bardi In Arfon oueragaynst Anglysey stoode an auncient Citie called of the Romans SegontiuÌ„ of the Britaynes Caërsegont of a Riuer whiche passeth therby But now out of the ruynes therof there is a new Towne and a Castle founded by Edward the first of that name kyng of England called Caër Arfon that is to say a Towne vpon Anglysey And not farre from thence oueragaynst Anglysey lieth the Byshops See of Banchor And vpon Conway water which there ebbeth and sloweth standeth Conway of our countrie men called Aberconwy a walled towne builded by the same kynge Then followeth Meridnia with vs Merionydh and Gyraldus calleth it the land of the sonnes of Conauius The same as he sayeth is the most roughest and sharpest of al VVales hauynge in it moste highest Mountaynes The people vse longe Speares wherwith they be of greate force as the Southwales men with their Bowes so that an Harnies cannot beare it of So much he The Sea coast there by occasion of great Herryng takyng is much frequented by people of diuers countries In the same standeth the Towne Harlechia by the Sea side And within the lande is the great lake Tegid through which the riuer Dee whiche wee call Douerduwy that is to say the water of Dee floweth Where it is worthe the notyng that there is in that Ponde a peculiar kinde of Fish which is neuer founde in the runnynge water neither the Salmons wherof the Riuer is full doo euer entre into the Lake In this country and in Arfon are seene greate multitude of Deare and Goates vpon the high Hilles And these two countries of all Wales cam last into the power of the EnglishmeÌ„ Neither did the people of this country euer frequent domestical incursioÌ„s but before our time alwaies séemed to obey lawes rightfully The farthest last part of Gwynedh is called of our couÌ„trimen Berfedhwlad that is to say the inward and midland region and is seuered from
Arfon by the ryuer Conway of whom Antoninus Ptolomaeus do speake vnder the name of Nouius In this besides the forenamed Riuer standeth a most antique citie of the Britaynes called Dyganwy in Rosse of the Englishmen Gannock famous in Tacitus by the name of Cangorum wherof the people of that countrie were called of the Romans CANGI And Ptolomaeus mentioneth the Promontorie of the Iangani which they call now Gogarth A place so fortified by nature that it can scarse be taken by maÌ„s strength This citie as I say was the seate and Palace of the later kynges of Britayne when as now their power began to quayle as namely of Maylgun Caduanus Cadwalla whom Bede termeth a most cruell Tyranne bicause he persecuted his enemies very fiercely and of Cadwalladar who was the last kynge of Britayne of the Brittish bloud This Citie the yere of our redemption eight hundred and sixteen Cananus Dyndaythuy reygnynge in VVales was stroken with lightnynge from Heauen and burned in suche sort that it could neuer be afterwarde restored howbeit the name remayneth to the place to this daye out oâ— whose rubbish Conouia was builded Moreouer in this Territory in Rhyfaniacum Henry Lacey Erle of Lincolne to whom the conquer our therof Edward the first gaue that land erected a very stoute Castle not only by naturall situation but also by a Wall of wonderfull thicknesse made of a very harde kinde of stone in my opinion the strongest and best defensed thynge in England Addyng also therto a towne walled about whiche by the auncient name he called Dynbech although those which cam afterwarde termed it Denbigh This fine Towne and my sweet country beynge compassed welnigh aboute with very fayre Parkes standyng in the entrance of an exceedynge pleasant Ualley aboundeth plentifully with all thinges that are necessarie to the vse of man The Hilles yéelde Fleash and white meates The most fertile Ualley very good Corne and grasse The sweet Riuers with the Sea at hande minister all sortes of Fishe and Foule Strange Wynes come thither foorth of Spayne FrauÌ„ce Greece abundantly And being the cheif towne of the shyre standyng in the very middle of the countrie it is a greate market Towne famous and much frequented with wares and people from al partes of Northwales The indwellers haue the vse of both tongues And beyng endued by kinges of England with many Priueledges and Liberties are ruled by their owne lawes The valley nigh wherto this Towne standeth is termed amongst vs Dyphryn Clwyd that is to say the Ualley of Clwyd It is almost eighteene miles in length and in breadth in some place foure miles in other some sixe On the East west and South sides it is enuironed with high Hilles on the North with the Oceane Sea. In the midst it is cut in twayne by the Riuer Clwyd wherof it taketh name into whom diuers other litle streames fallyng out of the Hilles doo discharge them selues by reason wherof irriguous and pleasant Medowes plentifull pastures doo lie aboute the bankes therof In the entrance of whiche Ualley Ruthyn an auncient towne and Castle of the Grayes from whence the most noble famely amoÌ„gst the Englishmen tooke beginninge is to be seene And not farre from the Sea standeth Rudhlan in Tegengyl sometime a greate Towne but now a litle Uyllage In the same Prouince is a Cathedrall Churche of our country men called LHANEL WEY of the Englishmen S. Assaph builded between twoo Ryuers CLWYD and ELWEY I remember that I haue read that there was one ELBODIVS Arch bisâ—hoppe of Northwales preferred vnto that honour by the Byshoppe of Rome Who fyrst of all the yere of our Saluation seuen hundred thrée score and two reconciled the VVelshmen to the Romishe Churche from whiche before they had disagreed For the Britaynes imitatynge the Asiaticke Churche celebrated theyr EASTER from the foureteene day of the Moone vnto the twentie When the Romans followynge the Nicene counsell keepe theyr Easter from the fifteene to the one and twentie Whereby it commeth to passe that these Nations haue celebrated that Feast on diuers Sundayes But let the Byshoppes take regarde how farre they doo erre from the Decrees of the NICENE Counsell whyle they followe that vncertayne rule of the motion of the Sonne and Moone whiche they call the Golden Number beynge therein very fowly deceaued Whiche thinge in times paste was obiected for a cryme agaynst the Britaynes by the ouer superstitious Mounke Augustine and lykewyse by Bede whiche to muche attributed vnto suche tiâ—les in somuch that for the same cause he durst terme them Heretiques But now howbeit vnder curse of the Nicene counsell it be otherwyse commaunded it is reiected by the Prelates them selues and the whole Churche of Europe But let vs returne to our purpose In that place where the See of S. Assaph is was sometime a Colledge of learned Agonists that I may vse Capgraues woordes celebrated for multitude vnder Centigeme a Scot whiche was called Elguense or Eluense of a Riuer This Prouince Tegenia is called of the Latines Igenia and after beynge vanquished by the Englishmen began to be termed Tegengel that is to say the Englishmens Tegenia Afterward being inhabited by Britaynes cuÌ„minge foorth of Scotland driuyng the Englishmen thence with the Ualley of Clwyd Ruthyn and Rosse make one kyngdome whiche Marianus calleth Streudglead our countrymen terme it Stradclwyd that is to say the soyle of Clwyd For this woord Strat with the name of some Riuer ioyned therto doth vsually signifie amongst the welsh men a veyne or soyle of lande nigh to a Riuer as Strad Alyn Strad Towyn with many such like Theyr last prince called Dunwallon forsakyng his kingdome when the Danes afflicted all Britayne departed to Rome the yere after the incarnation 971. where shortly after he died In Tegenia is a well of a meruaylous nature whiche beyng sixe myles from the Sea in the parish of Kilken ebbeth and floweth twise in one day Yet haue I marked this of late when the Moone ascendeth from the East Horizon to the South at what time all Seas do flowe that then the water of this Wel diminisheth and ebbeth And not far from this place is the famous Fountayne takynge name of the superstitious worshyppinge of the Uirgin VVenefride which boyling vp sodenly out of a place which they call Sychnant that is to say a drie vallye rayseth forth of it self a greate streame which runneth immediatly into Deuanus This water besides that it bredeth Mosse of a very pleasant sauour is also most holsome vnto mans body bothe for washyng and drinkynge and of verie good tast in so much that many beinge washed therin were cured of diuers infirmities wherwith they were borne Moreouer in Tegenia there is a certayne auncient monument of an olde building in a place called Pot Vary somtime renowmed by Roman letters and Armes The towne whiche they call Flynt standynge vpon the water Deua is
knowne not only to be the head of Tegenia but also the whole shire After the discription of Gwynedh let vs now come to Powys the seconde kyngedom of VVales Which in the time of German Altisiodorensis which preached sometime there agaynst Pelagius Heresie was of power ▪ as is gathered out of his life The kynge wherof as is there read bycause he refused to heare that good man by the secret and terrible iudgement of God with his Palace and all his householde was swallowed vp into the bowels of the Earth in that place whereas not farre from Oswastry is now a standyng water of an vnknowne depth called Lhunclys that is to say the deuouryng of the Palace And there are many Churches founde in the fame Prouince dedicated to the name of German The Citie of Schreusbury in olde time was the Princes seate of this Kyngdome But when the Englishmen had taken it it was translated to Mathraual a place fiue myles from Pole of Powys This Region had on the Northside Gwynedh on the East from Chestre vnto Herford England on the South West the Riuer Wey and very high Hylles whereby it was disioyned from Southwales And bycause the lande was plain and neare to England and much vexed with continuall Warre by Englishmen and afterward by the Normans this parte of VVales did first experiment the yoke of English subiection Which brooding stoute men and such whose nature coulde not abide to be at rest but giuen to Murther and excursions not only procured infinite trouble vnto the kynges of England but wrought also greate iniurie vnto theyr neighbours the VVelshmen But afterward beynge parted between twoo brothers as was the custome of the Britaynes it began to wax weake And the part which lieth on the Northside of Tanat Murnia and Seuern befel vnto Madoc wherof it was called Powys Fadoc The other parte came bothe in name and possession of Gwenwynwyn The first lost the name of Powys for beyng subdued by the Normans it came into the power and right of the conquerours The first region therof Mailor is deuided into twaine by the Riuer Dee namely the Saxon and Welsh wherof the first appertayneth vnto Flyntshyre and the other vnto Denbyghshyre in the which standeth the Castle of Lion now commonly called Holt. And not farre from thence are seene the rubbish and relliques of the moste notable and famous Monasterie of Banchor while the glory of the Britaynes flowrished In the same were two thousand one hundred Moonkes very well ordred learned and deuided into seuen sortes dayly seruyng god Amongst whom those whiche were simple and vnlearned by their handie labour prouided meate and drinke and apparell for the learned and suche as applied their studie And if any thyng were remainyng they deuided it vnto the poore That place hath sent foorth many hundreds of excellētly wel learned men amongst whom it hath also vomited forth to the worlde the most detestable Archeheretick Pelagius And afterward through the enuie and malice of Augustine not the Bishop of Hippo but the most arrogant Moonke and the most cruell execution of his Ministre Ethelfrede worthy men of far more perfect ordre then he was of were made away and the whole house from the very foundations together with their most noble Liberary more precious then Golde was raysed downe and destroyde with fier and sworde It were ouerlonge to repeate what Latine and British chronicles doo reporte of the intollerable pride of this man For when he sittyng in his regal seat disdayned to ryse vp vnto the British Bysshops whiche came vnto him humbly and meekely as it became Christians to doo they beholdynge the same both iudged and sayde that he was not the ministre of y most gentle and meeke lambe Christe but of Lucifer as they had learned in the holy scriptures so they departed home againe For whiche contempt and reproche and partly also bycause they agréed not in some poynctes with the Archbishop of Cantorbury which he had appointed with the Church of Rome he so stirred the hate of the Englishmen agaynst them that shortly after as I sayde by Ethelfred through the ayde and helpe of Ethelbert king of Kent prouoked therto by Augustine the Mounkes whiche desired peace were most cruelly slaine And afterward the Britaynes vnder the conduct of Brochwell kynge of Powys were vanquished Until that at length being ayded with power from Belthrusius Duke of Cornwall Caduane kyng of Northwales Meredoc kyng of Southwales and hartned forward by the Oration of their most learned Abbot Dunetus who commaunded as our Chronacles reporte that euery one should kisse the grounde in remembrance of the cōmunion of the Body of our Lord should take vp water in their handes foorth of the Riuer Dee and drinke it in commemoration of the moste sacred Bloud of CHRIST which was shead for them Who hauynge so Communicated they ouercame the Saxons in a famous battayle and slew of them as Huntyngton writeth a thousande threescore and sixe and created Carduanus theyr kynge in the Citie of Legions Next ensue Yale and Chyrk hilly countries In this last standeth that antique Castle which at this day is called Brennus Palace And these apperteyne vnto Denbighshyre But more to the North are Stradalin so named of the Ryuer ALYN and Hope of Fluitenshire Towardes SCHREVSBVRY lieth VVhittington and Oswastrey a noble Market and enwalled rounde at the charges of the FITZALANES a moste auncient famely of Englande whose inheritaunce it is and these belonge vnto Schropshire Aboue these in the West are the Edeirnion men ioyned now vnto the Merionydh men vpon the Ryuer Dee And all these at this presente are called Gwynedhij or men of Gwynedh for the name of the mē of Powis is perished amongst thē The seconde Region of Powys conteyned the same Prouince whiche now only enioyeth the name of Powys and sometime stretched very wide but now contayneth only three Cantredes lyinge wholy on the Northside of the Riuer Seuern whiche is the seconde riuer of Britayne fallyng from the high Mountaynes of Plymnonia and risinge foorth of the same head with Wey and Rhydwely and runnyng throuhh Arwistli and Kedewen in Powys maketh speede to Schreusbury and so floweth forward through Brydgenorth VVorcestre and Glocestre from whiche not farre of it ebbeth and floweth and between VVales Deuonshyre and Cornwall beareth name of the Seuern Sea. Our countrymen terme it Hafren and not Seuern as the Englishmen doo The cheif towne and kyngs seate of Powys called Matrafal retayneth the aunciēt name howbeit the buildynges be defaced and worne And one myle from Seuern standeth a Towne the only market of all that Region of the Englishmen Pole of the VVelshmen called Tralhung that is to say the towne of the standynge water so called of the Lake whereto it is nigh where there stande aloft two Castels builded sometime by the Princes of Powys This princedome came by
inheritance vnto a woman called Hauisia who beynge maried vnto one Carleton an Englishman made him Lorde of Powis from which house at length it descended vnto the Grayes in the North. Next vnto that standeth Cadeuenna a new towne aboue whom towardes the risinge of Seuern are Arwistle and Lhanidlos countries wel knowne by reason of the Townes And more by VVest and by North at the head of Deuey Mouthuy now a portion of Merionedh Kefelioc knowne by the towne Machaulhaith On the other side of Seuern beneathe the Region Kerey there is a Castle by a litle Towne which VVelshmen call Trefaldwyn that is to say Baldwynes towne but the Englishmen terme it Montgomery of the builder Roger of Mont Gomer From this Towne all these Regions beyng ioyned together are called Montgomershyre a country brooder sometime of noble horses now it sendeth foorthe but few and by the forenamed Roger and his sonnes verie valiant and warlike gentlemen very sorely afflicted vntill that Robert beynge accused of high Treason was enforced to flie his countrie The region is hilly and by reason of plentifulnesse of Pastures verie good for grasinge of Cattell aboundynge with many waters and bryngynge foorthe tall men very well fauoured much addicted vnto Idlenesse and vnprofitable games Whereby it cometh to passe that you shall finde many ritche Englishe Farmers amongste them when as the Landelordes themselues which will take no paynes do become very poore These six shyres namely Anglysey Aruon Merionydh Denbyghshyre Fluitense and Montgomershyre Englishmen comprise vnder the name of Northwales There remayneth yet that parte of Powis which stretched sometime vnto Wey whose first Region taketh name of the Riuer Colunwy and of the Castle and possession of the Fitzalanes Next to Melienyth and Gurttrenion hilly countries and at the South RADENOR called of the VVelshmen Maisifod head of the shyre Ioynyng vnto these are the Eluil with the Castle of Payne by Wey which our country men cal Gwy Beyonde al these are Prestene whiche wee call S. Androwes Churche and Kynton with the Castle of Huntington And vpon Themis of vs called Tefedioc ▪ standeth the fayre towne Castle of Ludlaw in Schreupshyre in olde time called DINAV the worke of Roger Mōtgomer And aboue that the castle of Wigmore the patrimony of the Mortumars And at Seuern Bridgenorth Beaudely in old time very wel knowne by the castle Tyrhil ▪ And on the Southwest side vpon Logus which wee call Lhygwy on a passyng fertile playn standeth Lhanlhieni of the Englishmen Lemstre And not farre thence is the auncient Citie Henfford that is to say◠an olde way of Englishmē in old time called Ferleg now Hereford standinge vpon Wey or more truly vpon Gwy Towards Seuern are Maluern hilles and in the very corner between Seuern and VVey not farre from the towne of Rosse is that renowmed Woodde whiche of the Danes is called the Forest of Deane These Regions with al Herefordshyre beyonde Wey before they were possessed by the Englishmen in olde time were termed in British Euryeynnwc and the inhabitants Eurnwyr of whiche name there remayneth yet some signification apparant in one place of Herefordshire For that which the Englishmen called Vrchenfeld the VVelshmen called Ergnig and afterward Ergengel And no meruayle since the least portion therof retayneth now as I haue sayd the name of Powis There remayneth the thyrd kyngkingedome of VVales of the English called Southwales of our countrymen which inhabite the lande Deheubarth that is to say the right or South part for so wee vse to terme the South The same is wholy compassed with the Irish Sea the streame of Seuern and the riuers Wey and Dyuei And although the country be very fertile the lande ritche and far more bigger then Gwynedh notwithstandynge as Gyraldus sayth it was compted the worser And that not only because Vchelwyr that is to say the nobliest cheefest men refused to obey their kynges but also by reason that the sea coastes therof were continually molested by the Englishmen Normans Flemmynges Whereby the Prince was compelled to forsake Caer mardthyn his seate and to apoyncte the principall place of his regalitie at Dinefur in Cantremawr And although these princes were of greate authoritie in VVales yet after that Rhesus the sonne of Theodore the greate was slayne through the treason of his owne men they were no longer termed Dukes nor Princes but Arglwydhi that is to say Lordes Untill at length through Ciuile Warres by deuidyng of their landes amongst many and also by externall whyle the Englishmen endeuored to possesse all by force and crafte they were so weakened that after the death of Rhesus the sonne of Griffith a very noble and valiant Gentleman they lost bothe the authority and name of Princes and Lordes Now let vs descend vnto the description of the Prouince wherof the first Region which commeth to hande is that whiche Gyraldus calleth Ceretica our countrymen Ceredigion the Englishmen Cardigan Where it is to be noted as in all other that C and G haue the force of Cappa Gamma This region on the North hath the Irish Sea on the East the riuer Dyuei wherby it is deuiued from Gwynedh towardes Powis very high Hilles on the South Caermyrthyn and on the West Dyfetia Their tōgue as Gyraldus affirmeth is esteemed the finest of al the other people of wales And Gwynedh the purer with out permixtion cōmyng nearest vnto thauncient British But the Southerne most rudest coursest bycause it hath greatest affinitie with strange tōgues The sea coast of this parte Rychard Clarens a very noble man comminge in with a nauie and buildyng Castles at the mouth of Teifi and Vstwyth possessed it for his owne and leauing garisons there returned into England But when he vnderstoode that his men were besieged by the VVelshmen beyng boldned by his great power he entended by an ouer rash enterprise to go ayde them by lande But at Coed Gronus not farre from Abergeueni he was slayne with all his armie by Ierwerthus of Caërlheon And so those Fortes returned agayne vnto theyr olde lords I suppose that the mouthe of Ystwyth is of Ptolomaeus called Rotossa and Tibium Abertius but that through necligence of the transcribers they were confounded into one Not farre from this place standeth Lhanpaternfawr that is the Church of Paternus the greate which in olde time was had in great veneration For welshmen aboue all other nations were accustomed to reuerence Churches attribute much honour vnto ecclesiastical persons For as Gyraldus reporteth they vsed not once to touche the most deadlyest foes they had and such as were accused of Treason if they escaped vnto the church Yea not so much as their enemies cattell if they fedde in any Pastures or Leazes whiche appertayned vnto the Churche Moreouer when they be armed and goynge vnto battell if they fortune to meete with a Priest on the way they will cast downe their
to Hamo and ioynynge with other Rebelles out of WENTA and BRECHINIA mette with RHESVS in Black hill and there slew him And so payinge the Englishmen theyr Wages discharged them But they takynge regarde vnto the goodnesse of the soyle and the greate variance whiche was then amongst the VVelshmen as inforetime the Saxons had done they turned theyr force of Armes agaynst those whiche entertayned them and soone displaced them wholy of all the champion and the best of the countrie Whiche HAMO deuided amongst twelue knights which he brought with him reseruing the better part to himself Who buildynge there certein Castels and ioynyng their power together defended their Farmes and Lordeships which they had possessed and taken Whose heyres peacebly enioy the same vnto this day But Iestinus scarsly reserued to him selfe and his the hillye countrie The twelue knightes names were these London Stradlyng Sanct Iohn Turberuille Granuille Humfreyuille Sanctquintin Sorus Sullius Berkerolus Syward and Fleminge In this prouince are NETH vpon a Riuer of the same name Pontfayn that is to say Stone brydge Englishmen falsly call it Cowbridge Lantwyd Wenny Dynwyd Townes and Castels besides Caër Phili a most auncient Castle and Fortresse Whiche as reporte goeth was erected by the Romans and Caerdid the principall towne of the shyre standyng vpon the ryuer Taf English men terme it Cardyd And not far from thence is Landaf to say a Churche standynge on Tauus ennobled with a Byshops See. Next vnto this region lieth Wenta vnder Momuthshyre This in olde time was called Siluria which may easely be proued contrarie vnto the ridiculous authoritie of Boethius and Polydorus And first to beginne with Tacitus who affirmeth that the Siluri lye ouer agaynst Spayne But these are farre more neare Spayne then any parte of Scotland wherefore it is more like that they dwelt here rather then in Scotland Moreouer whereas in a fayre discourse he describeth the expedition of Agricola agaynst the Albani or Scots and there reciteth all the people and nations of Albania he neuer maketh mention of the Siluri whiche was the most Warlike nation of them all And vndoubtedly if they had bin in Scotland he would neuer haue passed them ouer with silence Considering also how he telleth that ther were exceedyng greate Forestes in Siluria the tokens whereof remayne as yet in VVenta Ptolomaeus also and after him Marius Niger layeth the Siluri next vnto the Demeti and Maridunum but somdeale more Casterly Besides these authorities the moste auncient booke of the British lawes mentioneth Syllwc a prouince of VVales whose inhabitantes wee must needes call in the British tongue Syllwr wherby they were of the Romans termed Silures And one parte of VVenta is at this day called Gwent lhwc leauyng out one silable as though it were Went silluc Also Chepstow a fine market Towne in VVenta before a few yeres since passed was called by the name of Strigulia whiche seemeth to come somwhat neare to Siluria Moreouer Antoninus a very graue author maketh mention how Venta of the Siluri was not farre from this towardes the ferrie or place of passedge ouer the Seuern Wherfore it were but a iest hence foorth to seeke for the Siluri in Scotland And although that Plinius writeth that out of the Region of the Siluri ouer into Ireland was but a very shorte cut wee must thus take it that at his time Britayne was not sufficiently knowne nor the people of Albania longe after that subdued Wherby when certeyne of the Romanes as Englishmen vse now a dayes had passed ouer into Ireland out of Southwales others whiche neuer saw Britayne supposed it to be a very short cut In this Region is situate the most auncient noble citie of Legions which our countrymen call Caerlheon ar Wisk that is to say the citie of Legions vpon Vsk for difference sake between it and the other which is builded in Northwales vpon the Riuer Dee Of whom Gyraldus writeth thus The same was an auncient and noble Towne the tokens whereof remayne as yet an huge Palace a Giantlike Tower goodly Bathes and Hotte houses Reliques of Churches and places like Theatres compassed with beautifull Walles partlye yet standynge Also buildynges vnder the grounde conductes secreat passages and vautes vnder the earth Stewes framed by wonderfull workemanship There lie two martyrs Iulius Aron which had churches dedicated vnto thē There was also a Cathedral Church of an Archbishop vnder Dubricius which fell to Dauid This much he Also on the otherside of Vsk in the way which leadeth to Strigulia ar seen auncient Ditches and the remnants of towne Walles of the Siluri of Venta which now also they call Caerwent to wit the Citie Venta wherof the name grew to the whole countrie At the mouth of Wey whiche wee call Gwy is a famous Market Towne in olde time Strigulia but now called the Castle of Gwent The Erles Martials their heirs of this place did very much weaken the state of VVales Not farre hence is Monmuth of vs Monwy so called by the meeting of Mona Wey together the head of the whole shyre Aboue at Osca are the Castle of Osca called Brynbuga in the vpper Venta at the meetyng of Vsk and Geuenna is Abergeuenny the Lorde whereof Brienne Guilford wrought muche mischeif agaynst the VVenti But afterwarde VVillus Brustius Lorde of Brecknoc vnder pretence of loue and freendship called the nobles of Wenta into this Castle to Feastyng and Banquettynge Who commynge thither with Sesylius sonne to Dunwallan cheif man of all that Region and his sonne Gryf fith suspectyng no deceate and vnarmed were euerychone most cruelly slayne by Brustius gward which were put readie in armour for that purpose And afterward sodenly breakynge into Sesylius house the vnmercifull Butchers murdred the yonge Infant Cadwaladar his sonne despiteously before the Mothers face Whose sonnes notwithstandyng takyng the Castle and hauyng sleyne Ranulphe Poerius with many other noble men at Lhandyuegad manfully reuēged their fathers death But BRVSTIVS beyng reserued vnto greater mischeif was famished to death with his Mother in the Castle of VVindelesour And here I thought good to note that the name of Sesylius beynge common among the Britaynes and welshmen ought to be written not with C. which alwayes expresseth the nature of the English K but with S. For els it should be read amongst the VVelshmen Kyllius There remayneth yet the last Inland Region of Southwales which maketh the shyre of Brechnock the head wherof Brechnock or as the VVelshmen terme it Aberhodni standeth in vsk vpon the fall of HODNI Bernhard of Newmarcat first of all Englishmen by force of armes subdued the same Aboue this Region lieth Bogwelth which they terme Buellt a rough and hilly countrie reachynge from VVey to Tobius Beneath is Ewias woonne by the power of Paganus the sonne of Iohn Which afterward was parted in twayne Herold and Lacey And not farre thence is Haya
well knowne by Roman monumentes called TREGELLI that is to wit the Towne of Hasels These seauen Shyres Credigion DWETIA called also Demetia and Penbrokes hyre Caer marthyn Morganicâ— now Glamorgan Gwenta called also Mon mouth Brechenoc and Radenor are by Englyshmen ascribed vnto Southwales Thus much when I had written of the true antique and now accustomed names of the Regions and cities of Britayne I determined here to haue ended least by this my vnpolished and barbarous writyng I should become tedious to the impatient Reader But when I called to my remembrance how Polydorus Virgilius whose workes be in all mens handes doth in all places nippe gyrde at the Britaynes endeuorynge in woordes to extenuate the glory of the British name and to obscure them with a perpetuall blot in his history often termynge them a cowardly and false generation I thought it worth the trauell to brynge foorth a few authorities out of the bookes of famous writers and approued Hystoriâ—graphers Wherby the indifferent Reader may easely iudge what credite is to be giuen to the said Polydorê° And that such as are of the learnedst writers of the state of Britayne either he read them not or els that is more like beyng incensed with enuie and hate of the British name passed them ouer with silence Caesar him selfe who first all the Romans made mention of Britayne how be it no man is accompted an vpright Iudge in his owne cause confesseth that at the first encountre the Britaynes fought valiantly agaynst the Romans and that they troubled them very much and afterward that the Legion whiche was sent for prouision of Corne and Uitayle was so pressed by their enemies that they coulde scarse endure it And that at his commyng for feare as he sayeth they retyred And that I may vse his owne woordes Caesar supposinge it to be an vnfit time to prouoke the enemie and to giue him battell kept him selfe in his owne place and after short time brought backe his Legions into their Tentes This retreat some termed a flight whiche may also be proued bycause that shortly after when it was paste midnight he tooke shyppyng priuely and departed out of Britayne Neither was this the power of all Britayne but a band of Kentyshmen sodenly gathered as appeareth in his hystory After this in his first booke he sheweth that the British wagonners fought stoutly vpon the way and in another place that they entred forcibly into his Campe. And that the Roman Cohortes or bandes being â—feard when Laberius the Tribune was slaine salfly returned backe agayne Which what other can it signifie then that they escaped by flight He confesseth also how Casiuelanus by the fallyng from him of Mandrubatius and certein his Cities was especially mooued not by battell wearied to sende Embassadours vnto him to intreate of Peace All these thynges spightfully Polydorus dissembleth Also Diodorus Siculus who wrote in the time of Augustus sayeth It is reported that the inhabitantes of Britayne are Aborigines that is to say first borne in the Countrie leadynge their liues after the maner of men in olde times In fight they vse Chariots such as is sayde the auncient worthies of Greece vsed in the battell of Troye In behauiour they are simple and vpright farre distant from the craft and wilinesse of men of our age Their fare is nothyng excessiue nor costly far from the deintie delicates of ritchmen Thus much he Tacitus also a worthy writer doth wonderfully commende the puissant deedes of Cataracus agaynst the people of Rome and confesseth that after the takyng of him they were oftentimes â—oyled and discomfited by one only citie of the Siluri And as for Venusius whom he writeth to haue ben fierce and hatefull agaynst the Romans he reporteth that he vanquished not only the Romans but such Britaynes also as ayded them His woordes be these The kyngdome to Venusius and vnto vs remayned Warre And after it followeth that he cannot denie but when queene Boadicia whom Dion termeth Bundwica was deseruedly exasperated she caused lx and ten thousande Romans to be slayne Whose courage more then manlike and noble deedes worthy to be extolled with prayse vnto Heauen and equiualent to the actes of renowmed Emperours and Captaynes Tacitus also Dion meÌ„ of great name haue celebrated in fayre and large discourse And in the life of Agricola In wishyng for dangers there is like boldnesse in Britaynes and Frenchemen And when they come vnto the pynche in refusinge of them like dasterdnes Howbeit the Britaynes resemblynge more hardinesse as beynge suche whome longe rest and peace had not yet made soft or effeminate For wee haue hearde also that the Frenchmen haue flowrished in warres But shortly after cowardise crepte in through Idlenesse whereby they loste both manhoode and libertie whiche likewise befell to the vanquished Britaynes the residew whereof remayne yet such as the Frenchemen were They are stronge on foote certeyne of them doo fight in Chariottes the driuers wherof are coumpted the worthier Whose clientes and seruantes do fight and defende them Infore time they were prepared for kyngs but now through fauour and faction euery prince hath gotten them Neyther were there any thynge more profitable for our vse agaynst strange and valiant nations sauinge that they doo not generally sauegard and defend all It is seldome that twoo or three Cities do ioyne to withstande their coÌ„mon daunger so that whylst they fight seuerally they are ouercome vniuersally Also in another place The Britaynes do muster pay tribute and fulfil other commaundments of the Empyre without stay or grutchynge so that there be no iniurie offered which they can hardly abyde And now they be subdued to obey but not yet to be slaues And a litle afterward But now they beginne to enstruct the children of Princes in liberal sciences sayeth Agricola And to preferre the wittes of the Britaynes in studie before the Frenchmens That they whiche of late detested the Roman tongue doo now desier to be eloquent therein Afterward the maiestie of our attyre and our Gowne was commonly worne by litle and litle they came to the imitation of our vices and superfluities as to haue Galleries Bathes and to vse our nysenesse in feastyng Whiche amongst the vnskilfull was termed humanitie when as in deede it is part of seruilitie Dion Cassius a man that had bin Consul among other thynges hath left this in writyng vnto posteritie of Caesars expedition into Britayne The Britaynes durst not set openly vpon the Romans bycause they kepte diligent watche and warde but they tooke certeyne whiche were sent as it were vnto their freendes and confederates Region to prouide victayle whom they slew all exceptyng a few which Caesar commyng with speede rescued Then began they to assault the Campe wherin they preuayled not but were repulsed not without slaughter on their side Howbeit they neuer tooke peace before that they had byn many times put to the worst Caesar contrary to that he